World kayaking champion Ben Fouhy has left the Trust House Wellington-Wairarapa Cycle Classic up the road without its high-profile paddler. The Athens Olympic Games silver medalist has withdrawn from next week's 515km race just a day after his entry was trumpeted as a public relations coup following the scratching of Tourde France stage winner Chris Jenner. Tour director Jorge Sandoval was ticked off to learn of Fouhy's decision via the media yesterday. "It is disappointing because he would have been good for us, but in the long run it's probably a good thing because his team won't be embarrassed," Sandoval said. "It's not the end of the world because I wouldn't have given him five minutes in the bunch in the stage one criterium ... maybe that's why he has pulled out." Teammate Gordon McCauley was unsure of the reason behind Fouhy's scratching but said it "would be for good reasons". "It's a shame he's not going to be there because not only is he a good rider, he's a good friend. But kayaking's where he makes his living and for us it's really nothing because Ben was just going to be a worker anyway," McCauley said. Hawke's Bay youngster Daniel Warren will take Fouhy's place in McCauley's fancied Team Cervelo outfit. Meanwhile, Athens Olympian Robin Reid looks to have the artillery to become just the third multiple winner of the tour. Bike NZ has enlisted Athens teams pursuit riders Tim Gudsell, Marc Ryan (both Timaru) and Peter Latham (Te Awamutu) to ride for the Blenheim professional. Blenheim's Jason Allen makes up Reid's Samsung New Zealand team. Four-time winner Brian Fowler and 1994 and 1996 champion Ric Reid, who is a confirmed starter next week, are the only multiple winners of the tour.?NZPA
